In an eyeglass retainer system for use with eyeglasses having a frame front that includes a pair of eyeglass temples, each temple has a first end for securing the temple to frame front and an opposite second end. Each temple defines an elongated channel passing therethrough and opening to the second end. Two cords are each disposed within the channel defined by a different one of the temples and extend out from the second end. Each chord is extendable from the channel and retractable into the channel. Two magnetic connectors are each affixed to a different one of the cords. The two magnetic connectors have opposite polarities so as to attract each other when placed against to each other. A stopping mechanism prevents the chord from exiting the hole completely.
|
1. An eyeglass retainer system for use with eyeglasses having a frame front, comprising:
(a) a pair of eyeglass temples, each temple having a first end for securing the temple to frame front and an opposite second end, each temple defining an elongated channel passing therethrough and opening to the second end;
(b) two cords, each disposed within the channel defined by a different one of the temples and extending out from the second end, each cord being extendable from the channel and retractable into the channel, each cord having a distal end disposed within the channel that is not affixed to the temples so that the distal end is free to move within the channel;
(c) two magnetic connectors, each affixed to a different one of the cords, the two magnetic connectors having opposite polarities so as to attract each other when placed against to each other; and
(d) a stopping mechanism that prevents the distal end of the cord from exiting the elongated channel completely.
14. An eyeglass retainer system for use with eyeglasses having a frame front and a pair of eyeglass temples, each temple having a first end hingedly secured to the frame front and an opposite second end, comprising:
(a) two cords, each having a proximal end and an opposite distal end;
(b) an attachment mechanism that selectively secures the proximal end of each cord to a different second end of each temple;
(c) two magnetic connectors, each affixed to the distal end of a different one of the cords, the two magnetic connectors configured to be secured to each other by magnetic attraction;
(d) a pair of first magnetic attachment tabs, each of which is configured to be attached to the second end of a different temple; and
(e) a pair of complementary second magnetic attachment tabs, each of which is coupled to the proximal end of a different one of the cords, each second magnetic attachment tab configured to be held to a different one of the first magnetic attachment tabs by magnetic attraction.
10. An eyeglass retainer system for use with eyeglasses having a frame front, comprising:
(a) a pair of eyeglass temples, each temple having a first end for securing the temple to frame front and an opposite second end, each temple defining an elongated channel passing therethrough and opening to the second end;
(b) two cords, each disposed within the channel defined by a different one of the temples and extending out from the second end, each cord being extendable from the channel and retractable into the channel;
(c) two magnetic connectors, each affixed to a different one of the cords, the two magnetic connectors having opposite polarities so as to attract each other when placed against to each other;
(d) two magnetic holding pieces, each holding piece affixed to the second end of a different one of the temples and each holding piece defining a hole that is contiguous with the channel passing therethrough, the magnetic holding pieces configured to attract the magnetic connectors when placed adjacently thereto;
(e) a stopper that is affixed to a distal end of the cord and that has a diameter; and
(f) a hole defined by the magnetic holding piece, in which the hole has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the stopper.
2. The eyeglass retainer system of
3. The eyeglass retainer system of
(a) a stopper that is affixed to a distal end of the cord and that has a diameter; and
(b) a hole defined by the magnetic holding piece, in which the hole has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the stopper.
4. The eyeglass retainer system of
5. The eyeglass retainer system of
6. The eyeglass retainer system of
7. The eyeglass retainer system of
8. The eyeglass retainer system of
9. The eyeglass retainer system of
11. The eyeglass retainer system of
12. The eyeglass retainer system of
13. The eyeglass retainer system of
15. The eyeglass retainer system of
16. The eyeglass retainer system of
17. The eyeglass retainer system of
18. The eyeglass retainer system of
|
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/507,546, filed May 17, 2017, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to eyeglass retainers and, more specifically, to an eyeglass retainer that is retractable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Eyeglass retainers are used by wearers of eyeglasses (typically sunglasses and reading glasses) to hold the eyeglasses suspended from the wearer's neck when the eyeglasses are not being worn. Typical eyeglass retainers include a cord or chain having loops at both ends to engage the temples of the eyeglasses. Such retainers remain in view even when the eyeglasses are being worn by the user, which some users feel can be unsightly or unfashionable.
Several eyeglass retainers that are hidden when the eyeglasses are being worn have been proposed. Such retainers typically employ spring-loaded take-up reels hidden in a hollowed-out portion of one or more of the temples. The retainer is pulled out when the user desires its use and then pushed back in when the eyeglasses are to be worn. Such proposed retainers have not been widely produced because they require complex mechanical systems that add weight and bulk to the temples, and that add cost to the eyeglasses.
Therefore, there is a need for a mechanically simple eyeglass retainer system.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention which, in one aspect, is an eyeglass retainer system for use with eyeglasses having a frame front that includes a pair of eyeglass temples. Each temple has a first end for securing the temple to frame front and an opposite second end. Each temple defines an elongated channel passing therethrough and opening to the second end. Two cords are each disposed within the channel defined by a different one of the temples and extend out from the second end. Each chord is extendable from the channel and retractable into the channel. Two magnetic connectors are each affixed to a different one of the cords. The two magnetic connectors have opposite polarities so as to attract each other when placed against to each other. A stopping mechanism prevents the chord from exiting the hole completely.
In another aspect, the invention is an eyeglass retainer system for use with eyeglasses having a frame front that includes a pair of eyeglass temples. Each temple has a first end for securing the temple to frame front and an opposite second end. Each temple defines an elongated channel passing therethrough and opening to the second end. Two cords are each disposed within the channel defined by a different one of the temples and extend out from the second end. Each chord is extendable from the channel and retractable into the channel. Two magnetic connectors are each affixed to a different one of the cords. The two magnetic connectors have opposite polarities so as to attract each other when placed against to each other. Two magnetic holding pieces are each affixed to the second end of a different one of the temples. Each holding piece defines a hole that is contiguous with the channel passing therethrough. The magnetic holding pieces are configured to attract the magnetic connectors when placed adjacently thereto. A stopper is affixed to a distal end of the cord and that has a diameter. A hole is defined by the magnetic holding piece. The hole has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the stopper.
In yet another aspect, the invention is an eyeglass retainer system for use with eyeglasses having a frame front and a pair of eyeglass temples in which each temple has a first end hingedly secured to the frame front and an opposite second end. Two cords each have a proximal end and an opposite distal end. An attachment mechanism selectively secures the proximal end of each cord to a different second end of each temple. Two magnetic connectors are each affixed to the distal end of a different one of the cords. The two magnetic connectors are configured to be secured to each other by magnetic attraction.
These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings. As would be obvious to one skilled in the art, many variations and modifications of the invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. Unless otherwise specifically indicated in the disclosure that follows, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise: the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.”
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
A person 10 wearing the retainer system 100 with the cords 116 employed is show in
As shown in
As shown in
One embodiment of a retainer strap can be used for any sunglasses. It includes a self-adhesive magnet that affixes to the terminal end of the temple arm to any sunglasses. (Alternately, the magnet can be glued or attached to the temple with a fastener.) The strap/cable consists of a similar magnet, but a “female version” for secure connection in the same angulation every time and the same terminal magnet as my other sunglasses for magnetic connection in the back. These straps can be made out of one of many different materials, including but not limited to: cable, metal, plastic, monofilament, rope, sailing rope, leather, silicone, nylon, neoprene, etc. They can also be made to different lengths. In this embodiment, which is shown in
In one embodiment, as shown in
As shown in
The above described embodiments, while including the preferred embodiment and the best mode of the invention known to the inventor at the time of filing, are given as illustrative examples only. It will be readily appreciated that many deviations may be made from the specific embodiments disclosed in this specification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims below rather than being limited to the specifically described embodiments above.
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
11275256, | May 17 2017 | ANCHOR EYEWEAR HOLDING COMPANY LLC | Eyeglass retainer with extension |
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
4479703, | Feb 21 1981 | ENGHOFER, KLAUS | Frame for multi-purpose eyeglasses |
6547388, | Mar 13 2002 | Enclosed releasable and adjustable eyeglass restraining and securing device and method | |
6905206, | Mar 25 2003 | Retractable eyewear retaining strap assembly | |
7159978, | Mar 24 2004 | Split temples for a retractable eyewear restraint strap | |
20160025998, |
Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Mar 28 2020 | FULKS, CLAYTON M | ANCHOR EYEWEAR HOLDING COMPANY LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 052263 | /0772 | |
Mar 28 2020 | ANCHOR EYEWEAR HOLDING COMPANY LLC | ANCHOR EYEWEAR LLC | LICENSE SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 052263 | /0860 |
Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
May 16 2018 | BIG: Entity status set to Undiscounted (note the period is included in the code). |
Jun 07 2018 | SMAL: Entity status set to Small. |
Jun 09 2023 | M2551: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 4th Yr, Small Entity. |
Date | Maintenance Schedule |
Dec 10 2022 | 4 years fee payment window open |
Jun 10 2023 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Dec 10 2023 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
Dec 10 2025 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
Dec 10 2026 | 8 years fee payment window open |
Jun 10 2027 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Dec 10 2027 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
Dec 10 2029 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
Dec 10 2030 | 12 years fee payment window open |
Jun 10 2031 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Dec 10 2031 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
Dec 10 2033 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |